Chevy, Ford icons duel at Detroit Auto Show
DETROIT, MI. — Amid all the spectacle and ceremony of new-car introductions at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, it was fascinating to observe a little bit of ancillary dueling between those two lovable giants, Chevrolet and Ford. Both have declared that they are going after the recapturing of domestic car market share with the same zeal theyÂ’ve been devoting to trucks in recent years.
That remains to be seen, because trucks remain such an enormously profitable part of the domestic scene, but it might indicate that Chevy and Ford have come so close to exhausting their ideas for filling every truck niche that they are turning now to the car market they had almost seemed to grant to Asian and European competitors.
At any rate, both Chevy and Ford are turning back to their oldest and most familiar icons to spearhead their refocused objective of cars – Chevy with an all-new, sixth-generation Corvette, and Ford with the previously introduced Mustang. Ford is going so far as to declare 2004 the “Year of the Car.Ââ€
There were dozens of flashy new introductions at the three-day barrage of media days preceding the North American International Auto Show at DetroitÂ’s Cobo Hall. Toyota, which passed Chevrolet to become the largest-selling car nameplate in the U.S. for 2003, captured the North American Car of the Year award with the innovative Prius, its hybrid gasoline-electric sedan now midsized for 2004. Ford won Truck of the Year with the latest generation F150 pickup.
Then the fun began.
During the next couple of days, Honda introduced a new SUT – sport-utility truck – and admitted that after years of saying Honda would never build a truck, here it was, a Honda truck. It is a full four-door crew-cab type vehicle, with a pickup box at the rear. Very impressive. Honda also showed off a sleek sports car that will be the next Acura NSX, and can be powered by hybrid gas-electric motors.
Toyota – which now has overtaken Chevrolet as the leading car-marquee in sales in the U.S. – introduced several concept vehicles, with the most prominent the FTX, a slick, full-size pickup truck with four doors, and the capability of having hybrid power. Mitsubishi and Subaru joined Toyota and Honda in showing off hybrid vehicles and stressing concern and reaction to environmental issues.
So while Chevy and Ford had declared their aim at cars, Honda and Toyota made big news with trucks.
While Chevrolet and Ford were unveiling newest versions of their old icons, ChryslerÂ’s branch of DaimlerChrysler maintained its tradition of dazzling the assembled media with some fanciful concepts for the future. After showing the new and yet-to-be-released Chrysler 300 sedan and Dodge Magnum wagon, both large, rear-wheel-drivers, as well as a new Dodge Slingshot sports car, a convertible version of the just-introduced Chrysler Crossfire, and new Jeep Rescue and Treo vehicles, Chrysler rolled out a spectacular new sports car concept.
It was called the ME Four-Twelve, and it was a solid candidate as the most sensational new car at the show – duplicating the splash the corporation made a year ago with the bizarre Tomahawk, a V10 motorcycle-like concept vehicle.
A Mercedes-developed 6.0-liter V12, and four turbochargers turn out 850 horsepower and 850 foot-pounds of torque, to push the ME Four-Twelve from 0-60 in 2.9 seconds, 0-100 in 6.2 seconds, and through the standing-start quarter-mile in 10.6 seconds, hitting 142 miles per hour. Top speed is estimated at 248 miles per hour. An elaborate Ricardo double-clutch 7-speed automatic transmission shifts at 200-millisecond intervals to assure what Chrysler gingerly refers to as “uninterrupted torque†to the rear wheels.
That sounds far too outrageous to be true, but Chrysler executives stressed that the car was a prototype, and not a concept car, which means that this is the first of what will be production, whereas a concept car might just be for show. General Motors and Ford held brief displays during the day Sunday, but you could tell they were keeping some secrets.
The most delectable drama was still to come, on Sunday night. Ford had hinted at the introduction of something sporty, and rumor had it that Carroll Shelby would be returning to FordÂ’s fold. So the logical assumption was that Ford, in a 7:30 p.m. Sunday night dinner ceremony at the Cobo Hall Auditorium, would probably roll out a new Mustang-based Cobra, perhaps with the personal blessing of Shelby, the creator of the original Shelby Cobra 40-some years ago.
With that, Chevrolet scheduled a gala media dinner at the historic Detroit Opera House, for 6:30 p.m. – an hour earlier than Ford’s thing – to introduce the sixth-generation Corvette. It had been shown off in pictures and hyperbole as a beautiful new addition to the 50-year history of America’s premier sports car, but it was assumed to be bigger news than “just†a version of the already-shown Mustang, so the large majority of media types headed for the Opera House.
I was among those, and saw the new Corvette, properly impressive because itÂ’s several inches shorter and significantly lighter than its predecessor, and has glass-encased headlights instead of the pop-up lights for the first time since 1962. The latest version of the old-tech pushrod V8 engine has been expanded to 6 liters, and all the latest high-tech components accompany it. The result is 400 horsepower and 400 foot-pounds of torque, with a 6,500-RPM redline.
Numerous reporters, columnists and television stations ran off well-armed, stressing the Corvette was ChevyÂ’s big news, and showing off the footage from earlier in the day of the Mustang as FordÂ’s counter.
After the unveiling of the Corvette, I high-tailed it back to Cobo Hall through a snowstorm to try to catch part of the Ford function. Ford backed up their term “trilogy†with a concept dinner with three appetizers, three salad things, and three mini-entrees. With that, Ford rolled out its new Ford GT onto the left of the platform, stunning in silver. Next, on the other end of the center platform, the new Mustang was driven out, in the matching dark silver with white racing stripe over the nose.
Suddenly, the best-kept secret in decades made its grand entrance – a startling and all-new two-seat sports car rolled up onto the middle of the platform. The driver was William Ford, scion to the empire, and the passenger was Carroll Shelby hisself – still the performance meister as he reaches age 81. The car is a concept only, at this point, but it is called the Shelby Cobra Concept, and it wore the same silver paint.
It was stark in design, with a 6.4-liter V10 engine with dual-overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, and 605 horsepower with 501 foot-pounds of torque, without any supercharging or turbocharging. “Forty years ago, I came here, a broken-down ex-race driver, and said, ‘Mr. Ford, IÂ’d like to become part of your family,Â’ †Shelby said. “Now, 40 years later, here I am again.Ââ€
Richard Hutting, the car’s designer, told of showing the car to Shelby at Irwindale Raceway in California, when Shelby immediately tore off at something around 100 mph into Turn 1 of the half-mile banked oval. The Shelby fulfills Ford’s new “power trilogy†with the GT and the Mustang, and the surprise new entry meets Shelby’s uncompromising performance demands by having no air-conditioning, no radio, and no cupholders.
Bill Ford said that he owns an original Shelby Cobra and wants one of the new ones, which, he added, could become a production car “if we get the same response as we got with the GT.Ââ€
The media present showed just how sufficient that acclaim will be by completely ignoring the beautifully sculptured new Mustang, and the splendidly exotic Ford GT to crowd around the new car. I fell into step with Shelby as he walked off the platform, and he smiled widely and said, “Can you believe everybody is looking at that car and not at this one?Ââ€
It was fabulous theater, and the irony remained of the Chevrolet folks over at the Detroit Opera House, with the majority of the media, toasting the superb new and much-anticipated Corvette, completely unaware that back at good-olÂ’ Cobo Hall, a car that could turn out to be an enormous Corvette-fighter was being introduced as the biggest surprise at the nationÂ’s biggest auto show.
(John Gilbert can be contacted at cars@jwgilbert.com.)
New Fords make use of Volvo, Mazda engineering
DETROIT, MI. — Ford Motor Company has come under a lot of criticism for considerable expenditures the past few years, but Ford executives justify the expenses involved in the takeovers of Volvo, Jaguar and Range Rover, and increased investment in Mazda. If the Ford folks have it figured right, those investments will start paying heavy dividends soon, such as within the coming year.
When the North American International Auto Show opens this coming week in Detroit, Ford will unveil the Five Hundred sedan and the Freestyle sport-utility vehicle – two entirely new and extremely important vehicles for the company. Ford also will continue to promote its planned upsurge for the 2005 model year with the coming Futura sedan as well as the prominent “toy department†features – the 2005 Mustang and the Ford GT. But the emphasis will be on the highest volume, mainstream cars.
It may seem that while Ford has continued to dominate the light truck/SUV market, its cars have fallen out of favor a bit, so much so that its subsidiaries, particularly Mazda, with the Mazda6, RX-8 and Mazda3, and Volvo, which is following up the huge success of the XC-90 SUV with the flair and potential of a compact S40 sedan. Those vehicles can run circles around midsize and compact sedans from Ford – as well as most other companies, foreign and domestic.
So Ford is about to unveil its big secret, which is a brilliant reinforcement of FordÂ’s claim that its future is a global one, with at least a dozen new vehicles being created to make maximum use of those exceptional vehicles already being produced by Mazda and Volvo.
As of now, nobody is saying that Ford will discontinue the Taurus, that durable and trusty workhorse of the middle size sedan segment. Steve Lyons, the president of Ford Division, acknowledged that Taurus has been the company mainstay since 1985, but also that a changing marketplace means that one car canÂ’t do everything for a company any more.
“The Taurus is still a pretty good car, but itÂ’s no longer the largest-selling car in the country,†Lyons said. “Consumers have a lot more choices, and they want vehicles that are more versatile. The Five Hundred will be slightly larger than the Taurus, and a bit more expensive, while the Futura is slightly smaller than the Taurus.Ââ€
Ford executives pull no punches when they proclaim the new Five Hundred as the new flagship of Ford’s entire car operation. Make no mistake – the Five Hundred is a large sedan which will have a sister ship in the Mercury Montego, and both are based on the Volvo P2 platform, as used in the S80, Volvo’s top-level sedan. In the process, the Five Hundred acquires Volvo’s world-class safety characteristics and lightning-quick Haldex all-wheel-drive system.
The Freestyle SUV fits in right between the midsize Explorer, which continues to be the worldÂ’s top-selling SUV, and the Escape, which is FordÂ’s highly successful compact SUV. The Escape, incidentally, began life as a version of MazdaÂ’s Tribute, showing that this sort of collaboration can pay rich dividends. The Freestyle, meanwhile, is also off VolvoÂ’s platform, taking the best stability, rollover sensing and crashworthy elements from the XC-90.
The Five Hundred is a surprisingly tall vehicle, which Ford officials say will capture the high-seated asset of SUVs, as will its all-wheel drive capability. The Five Hundred is 3 inches longer than the Taurus. It will have FordÂ’s worldwide Duratec 3.0-liter V6, with 200 horsepower and a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The V6 will be built in the Cleveland plant, and be called the Duratec 30.
Occupants in the Five Hundred (and Montego) will sit 4 inches higher than in other sedans, and the cars will feature Pirelli tires on 18-inch wheels. Ford expects about 20 percent of buyers to choose all-wheel drive. The interior will feature eight cupholders, and the largest trunk on the planet. At a media preview, Ford officials pointed out that the ability to hold four full-size golf bags is the standard for what makes a trunk spacious, then they popped the trunk on a Five Hundred and extracted eight large golf bags.
The rear seat folds down flat, and with the front passenger seat also folded down, articles as long as 10 feet can slide in through the trunk and fit, from bumper to instrument panel. With the seats up and sitable, the Five Hundred measures a foot shorter than the Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis sedans, but doubles their rear legroom.
Safety is a major asset of the Five Hundred. The body structure is reinforced throughout, with frontal-impact and side-impact energy management, and pillars and cross-members designed of high-strength steel. A 35-mile-per-hour frontal crash test left a Five Hundred perfect from the A-pillar back. The reason for the car being the safest ever built by Ford was that the platform was built by Volvo, known as the worldÂ’s vanguard of safety research.
The all-wheel drive unit is the Haldex system from Volvo, a pressure-based, torque-transfer unit that operates on front-wheel drive until the slightest tendency to slip is detected. Officials say that in 50 milliseconds – about one-quarter turn of the wheel – the torque can be transferred to the rear wheels to optimize traction. Along with the six-speed, a continuously variable transmission also will be available.
Technically, while sticking with its own 3.0 V6, Ford is offering a choice of two high-tech transmissions, either a 6-speed automatic, or a continuously-variable automatic, which can adjust its ratio continuously.
The Montego is the first all-new sedan for Mercury in over 20 years, and its grille, headlights, taillights and interior differentiate it from the Five Hundred. It will share the use of the Ford Duratec 3.0 V6, with single overhead camshafts and 200 horsepower. My personal question is why Ford doesn’t go all the way, and install the higher-powered, dual-overhead-cam version of the Duratec – which is the way Mazda uses the engine in the Mazda6.
Switching to the SUV side, Explorer sales are slightly down, but the smaller Escape and the larger Expedition are up. So Ford is inserting the Freestyle right between those two. Not only does it uses the Volvo XC-90 platform, it has VolvoÂ’s rollover sensor, and it even borrowed Jan Vulcan from Volvo in Sweden to serve as chief engineer. It has stadium style seats, with the second row higher than the front, and a third row seat that can house adults or kids, flip over to face rearward, or fold flat into the floor.
The Freestyle also uses the 3.0-liter Duratec V6 with standard front-wheel-drive, and traction-control, with all-wheel-drive optional. While smaller than the Explorer, the Freestyle actually has more cargo space than the Explorer, or the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Ford officials are quick to point out. That space can be filled with seats, captainÂ’s chairs or bench in the second row, which tumbles forward for access to the rear, third row, which folds flat.
FordÂ’s dependence on Mazda wonÂ’t be as immediately obvious, but will start with the use of MazdaÂ’s sensational new four-cylinder, which will be installed in the 2005 Focus, and will lift it to a power level equal to the SVT special-edition Focus, while also making the car twice as environmentally clean as the ultra-low emission level standards.
After that, FordÂ’s plans are to bring out 10 automobiles based on one platform, and that platform will be the firm, safe and solid base of the Mazda6. If Ford’s influenced has helped Mazda and Volvo deliver such outstanding vehicles in the past couple of years, it’s only smart business for Ford to make use of their technology.
(Reach John Gilbert at cars@jwgilbert.com.)
Cars, tires make difference in serious winter driving
Â’Twas the week before Christmas, and the snow started about the same time as the second period of the hockey game, apparently. Those of us inside the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center had no idea how hard it was coming down, but it hardly caused me to hesitate. I had to drive from Duluth to Minneapolis, and the option was mine whether to go late that night, after the game, or wait and leave early the next morning.
Winter driving means different things to different areas. In Minnesota, the difference in snowfall from the Twin Cities to the Northern sectors can vary greatly, which makes for adventurous winter driving, and some perverse part of me enjoys it. I also enjoy driving at night, and driving in snowstorms is the perfect way to go beyond the superficial speed-performance-braking of the usual test-drives. You find out what kind of soul a car really has when conditions are somewhere between treacherous and trip-threatening. IÂ’ve had several impressive cars to road-test in foul weather this winter, and all of them reinforced my old theory: Get snow tires, or at least good all-season tires that work in wintertime.
When itÂ’s not my car, such driving also give me the chance to check out various brands of tires, as well as cars. I had already planned ahead, and purposely parked another test-car, a Cadillac XLR, because a two-seater sports car with tremendous power, and front-engine/rear-drive layout, seemed foolish to take with the threat of a storm. Instead, I drove a front-wheel-drive Acura 3.5 RL.
On this night, I got onto I35 heading south, and started up the hill, leading out of Duluth. It wasnÂ’t good, but I thought once getting away from Lake Superior, conditions might ease. The gathering snow had a waxy base, and the Acura felt less than totally secure as I reached the crest of the hill. I made a cell-phone call, to check on conditions in the Twin Cities, but nobody answered. Nobody answering the phone probably meant folks were out late, Christmas shopping. I could have turned around and gone home, but it might have been worse by the next morning. So I pressed on.
After about 30 miles, it was bad enough for some adrenaline-induced tingling as you concentrated on seeing ahead into the driven snow while also keeping a constant check on both shoulders, just so you could try to gauge if you were staying on the road. There was no way to go more than 40 miles per hour safely in those conditions. Later on, I wound up behind two plows going just under 40, and a couple of cars were visible behind, with all of us single file.
There is something comfortable about seeing taillights up ahead in a storm to give perspective about where you should be. The fellow behind me got comfortable enough that he decided to attempt to pass. I pulled over to the right as far as I dared, and a couple of times I got the tires chattering on the corrugated safety strip on the shoulder. The guy made it past, then he passed both snowplow trucks, as well.
That gave me a little confidence, and I also passed the two plows, increasing my speed just enough to still catch glimpses of the taillights of the guy ahead. We stayed that way for 20 miles, when suddenly, a couple of miles north of Hinckley, it looked to me as though those taillights were heading off toward the right, as if heading for an exit, where none existed. Sure enough, those taillights suddenly grew closer together, then disappeared for an instant, and then I had headlights shining at me, then taillights again. The car, front-wheel-drive and all – was spinning all the way around as it left the freeway.
I slowed down, and as I inched past, I could see the car off the road, with its front wheels hooked up almost on the edge of the shoulder. The front wheels spun, hard, but the car wasnÂ’t going to make that climb. I didnÂ’t stop, because there were more cars and the plows coming behind, and it would be impossible to guess how far to pull over safely. I did, however, call 911 on the cell-phone, and informed the highway patrol of exactly where the car had gone off.
Several times on the drive, I forced myself to sit back in the firmly bolstered bucket seat, and to relax my shoulders. There was no way to relax all over, but I had been holding my shoulders so tense that I hadnÂ’t even noticed the aches building in my neck and shoulders. I stopped twice on the trip, to clear the ice that was accumulating on the wipers, and I made it to my Twin Cities destination without further incident. I glanced at my watch, wondering how far past midnight it was, and saw it was 2 a.m. The normally two-hour trip had taken four hours.
It snowed 6-8 inches that night. The next morning, I checked the tires on the test car closely. They were Michelin Pilot HX, model MXM4 tires, undoubtedly good for long wear, and dry weather handling, and maybe even wet pavement. But their grip on packing snow was poor enough that the car felt like it was slithering, more than tracking straight ahead. I donÂ’t know what kind of tires the fellow had on the car that had spun around and off the freeway the night before, but he had more than tires as a problem by going too fast for conditions. Just because you have front-wheel drive doesn’t guarantee you from brain-fade.
That new Cadillac XLR sports car was under a beautiful shroud of snow, looking like an artistic aerodynamic sculpture. Just to assure myself, I cleared away several inches of snow from the windshield, rear and side windows, and head and taillights. Anticipating the worst, I started it up and went for a little drive. I was amazed at how well the XLR churned through the snow-covered icy streets. Its traction-control worked well, and while I still wouldnÂ’t advise heading out for a long trip in a blizzard, the XLR was very capable and impressive.
Even more surprising, it, too, had Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 tires, but its stability was far better than I had anticipated with rear-drive and so much power. I couldnÂ’t say the XLR was more stable than the Acura RL, but it goes to prove that the right tires for winter can be extremely important, even though each car has its own characteristics in foul weather. A rear-drive car with the right balance and advanced traction-control can be surprisingly good, while a front-drive car with skiddish tires can be skittish, though having the weighted drive wheels being the same wheels you steer is an inherent advantage.
Still, all winter driving situations comes down to a pretty easy alternative. Christmas may be over, but our snowstorms are just reaching midseason. The ultimate holiday gift might be one of family safety and security, and nothing brings more instant security than having tires that give you firm and secure grip on even icy and snow-packed streets, roads and highways. Virtually every companyÂ’s all-out winter tires will improve your driving challenges. Aggressive tread patterns with large openings will spit out the snow and help gain traction. Probably the best-known winter tire is the Bridgestone Blizzak, which has improved its dry-weather durability, but still wear faster on dry roads.
My personal favorites are Nokians, made in Finland where having proper winter tires is a law. Their tread compound is made of elements that retain flexibility even when it gets below freezing, and the difference in all kinds of weather is dramatic. You have to hunt a little to find them, because as a smaller company, Nokian avoids the huge chain stores and prefers private outlets. In Duluth, Foreign Affairs handles them, as do various spots in the Twin Cities, notably NormÂ’s Tires in St. Paul.
Nokian tires keep their flexibility in the cold and retain amazing grip on snow and icy roads. There are several models, from year-round all-season to outright snow tires. Some have the magical name, Hakkapeliitta, stenciled almost halfway around the sidewall. Once you drive on tires like Nokians, you will actually enjoy tackling winter driving.
An alternative to snowtires is to find a tire dealer that offers Saf-Tee Siping. They can cut sipes into your tiresÂ’ tread to improve the grip of large or hard tread blocks and improve winter driving capabilities. There are numerous places in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Chicago and other snowbelt regions that perform siping. By precise machine cutting of sipes, or slits, spaced across the tread, traction on high-performance tires can improve to the level of good all-season tires, and some all-season tires can improve to the level of snow tires. It costs generally about $10 per tire.
Whatever your choice, when it’s your car – and your family – don’t take unnecessary risks if you have to travel in wintertime. A set of good winter tires, or siping existing tires, costs a little but offers priceless safety and security, plus the relief of stiff necks and jangled nerves. It’s the ultimate gift of safety and security that you can provide for your family, and yourself.
(John Gilbert writes weekly automotive columns. Reach him by email at cars@jwgilbert.com.)
Car of year finalists are RX-8, Prius, Cadillac XLR
Every publication picks a car of the year these days, and in many cases there is at least the suspicion that the winner is closely associated with a company that agrees to advertise. That’s why the North American Car of the Year (and Truck of the Year) competition feels so legitimate – there is no advertising connected, and the jury of 50 selected automotive journalists actually pays dues to participate.
The award will be issued at the North American International Auto Show at Detroit the first weekend in January, and the three finalists for both categories have just been announced. The North American Car of the Year will be the Mazda RX-8, or the Toyota Prius, or the Cadillac XLR, while the top truck will be the Ford F150, the Nissan Titan, or the Cadillac XLR. Worthy candidates, all.
When you assemble 50 esteemed but opinionated auto writers, getting them to reach accord, you should pardon the expression, is a lot like the cliché about herding cats. The voting for 2004 has been completed, with 49 ballots in and documented. We don’t know what happened to No. 50, but it doesn’t really matter. We award 25 points for each category. We may give a maximum of 10 points to one, and only one, vehicle, and spread out the remaining points as we choose.
Normally, we have cut the list to a final 10, but this yearÂ’s close competition left us with 17 candidates for the car award. That should have indicated how tough the competition would be this year.
On the preliminary vote, for example, two of my top picks were the Volvo S60R, a special high-performance version of Volvo’s midsize sedan, and the Lancer Evolution, a racy version of Mitsubishi’s compact. Neither of them made the cut. Nor did the Mazda3, that company’s new and spectacular compact replacement for the Protégé. If those had been the three finalists, we would have ultimately declared an excellent winner from among them; instead, all three missed the cut to the final 17.
But thatÂ’s the political process. Once we got the nominees, and evaluated all we could get our paws on, I distributed my points in the following order: Mazda RX-8, Acura TL, BMW 5 Series, Toyota Prius, Cadillac XLR, Volkswagen Phaeton, and Nissan Quest. My truck votes went, in order: Ford F150, Nissan Titan, Lexus RX330, Volkswagen Touareg, and Cadillac SRX.
Those votes excluded a lot of very impressive cars, including the Acura TSX, Audi A8L, Chevrolet Malibu, Chrysler Crossfire, Chrysler Pacifica, Jaguar XJ8, Nissan Maxima, Pontiac GTO, Toyota Scion xB, and Toyota Sienna. Same with the trucks, where the BMW X3, Chevrolet Colorado, Chevrolet SSR, Dodge Durango, GMC Canyon, Infiniti FX45, Nissan Pathfinder Armada, and Porsche Cayenne, were close but left off.
With no idea how the other 48 jury members voted, it was interesting to note that Motor Trend has named the Prius as its car of the year, while Automobile Magazine named the Lancer Evolution as its car of the year, with the explanation that their staff came down to a choice between the Evolution and the RX-8.
The RX-8 won my vote because it scored high on all categories on my personal ledger: overall styling appeal; technology and technical advancements; creature-features and comforts; affordability; safety; real-world usefulness; and a large final category called fun-to-drive. The RX-8 signals the return of the rotary engine, and its slick, six-speed manual shifter makes it hum. Comfortable bucket seats, and an innovative rear seat with access through rear-hinged half-doors, sets it apart. It looks futuristic and fantastic, and it is extremely fun to drive – the areas where the aforementioned Evolution and S60R also excelled. The $27,000 RX-8’s handling on snow and ice would be the only area where it could be questioned, because it has rear-wheel drive, but at least it’s balanced at precisely 50-50 on the two axles.
The Prius is ToyotaÂ’s latest example of hybrid engineering, so it also ranks high on the technology scale, with electric/gasoline motors sharing the power. It is redone as a midsize car with dramatic lines, exceptionally styled and comfortable, even though the 60 miles-per-gallon EPA estimates may be difficult to attain (I got 42 and 40 on two test tanks). It is fun to drive, mainly from the standpoint of monitoring the instruments and striving for economical efficiency, and itÂ’s only $20,000.
CadillacÂ’s XLR is a spectacular demonstration of the new look of the corporation, a $75,000 car that is both an edgy coupe and hideaway-roof roadster to compete with the world-class Mercedes. The car has the magnetic-ride suspension that will be in next yearÂ’s Corvette, plus the Northstar V8 reworked with variable valve-timing on its dual-overhead-cam layout. Technology abounds, and its rear-drive traction-control was efficient even in making the XLR surprisingly adequate in snow. I ranked it high, but its price tag cost it points on my ballot.
My other leading vote-getters had substance, too. The Acura TL is a total redesign, looks fantastic, and has 270 horsepower through front-wheel drive. Furthermore, while the previous TL has a sporty “Type-S†model, the new one offers a slick six-speed manual version and equips it with wider, grippier tires. High-performance, and winter-driving ease combined. Amazingly, magazines have criticized the TL for not having rear-wheel drive. Car and Driver showed supreme arrogance by belaboring the point, overlooking the TL’s excellence by maintaining it needs rear-drive for all-out performance – even while naming its cousin, the far-stodgier Honda Accord, is one of the 10 best cars in the world.
The BMW 5 Series is clearly one of the most technically advanced vehicles ever set on a roadway. Rain-sensing wipers, adaptive headlights, brakelights that flash with greater intensity if you jam the pedal harder, and fantastic interior accommodations abound. It has rear-wheel drive, making it a handful on snow and ice even with traction-control, but it also has typically good power and steering/suspension features that are unexcelled. I was able to test the new 5 in emergency-handling maneuvers without the new active steering and then with it, and the difference was flat incredible.
With it, the 5 reacted instantly to steering input, and so precisely as to virtually eliminate over-correcting, all while feeling race-car coordinated and natural. Strange, then, that Car and Driver also ridiculed the new 5Â’s active steering for being “no more stable†than its predecessor, and for “unpredictability,†and feeling “artificial and a bit distant.†Maybe it wasnÂ’t arrogance; maybe they just missed the comparative handling at the 5 Series introduction and tried to go by memory – “the new 5 handles well, but the old 5 handled well, too.Ââ€
My picks of the all-new F150 and Nissan Titan were simple. The Titan came out before the F150, and it was aimed at beating the existing full-size pickup regulars, the F150, Chevrolet Silverado and Dodge Ram. It did that, with a new 5.6-liter high-tech, dual-overhead-cam V8 with tremendous power, and with innovations such as the near-180-degree rear-hinged second door on the extended-cab for easy rear access. If the Titan actually raised the bar on the established pickups, Ford then connected all the dots on the new F150, raising its own standard from the ground up, and focusing great attention on the interior. They are, arguably, the two best pickups ever built, and deciding between them is tough.
The Cadillac SRX is sort of an outsider in this company. I love the vehicle, because it combines the best attributes of a minivan, SUV and large station wagon. Because it is based on the CTS sedan platform, and has both the new high-feature CTS V6 or the slick Northstar V8 out of the XLR, it is obviously more car than truck. But it is exceptional, both in ride, drive and interior amenities, such as a huge sliding roof.
My other top truck vote-getters were solid, too. The RX330 is ToyotaÂ’s replacement of the segment-leading midsize SUV, and it is filled with fantastic features, such as adaptive headlights, backup video camera on the navigation screen, an exceptional navigation system, and excellent driveability from an upgraded V6 with high-tech features.
The Volkswagen Touareg, on a platform and body built alongside the Porsche Cayenne, is a fantastic crossover SUV that is priced many thousands under the Cayenne, with its no-compromise performance and price. The Touareg was Motor TrendÂ’s SUV of the year, which doesnÂ’t influence us, but indicates some credibility in the vehicleÂ’s capabilities. I drove it up near-vertical rocks in the Moab Desert of Utah, and in foul weather in Northern Minnesota, and it attacked every drive like another opportunity to show off. If its looks are a bit unusual, its performance and interior amenities are first-rate, as is the technology, such as adjustable ground clearance.
(John Gilbert writes weekly auto columns; he can be reached by email at cars@jwgilbert.com.)
Durango, Armada move into big-SUV competition
The Dodge Durango is moving up, and the Nissan Pathfinder Armada is moving in, as the two newest challengers of the full-size SUV category, and both pose real threats to the established world of the Chevy Tahoe/Suburban and Ford Expedition.
In the world of trucks, which encompasses more than half the vehicles bought in the United States these days, the sport-utility vehicle phase shows no sign of waning, although specialization has expanded the SUV field to include compact, midsize, crossover and various other niches off the original. Those vehicles seem to be taking customers away from the good-olÂ’ full-size SUV, but that region is still lucrative.
Lucrative enough that Dodge has repositioned its all-new Durango, and Nissan has decided to crash the party, so to speak, with the new Armada.
DURANGO/When the Durango was introduced six years ago, it had a distinct appeal, with sort of a Coke-bottle curve to its shape, and some excellent touches, including one-touch fold-and-tilt rear bucket seats that allowed easy access to the third row bench seat, and stadium seating, meaning the second and third rows were slightly raised to allow occupants to see over the front occupants. The original Durango was spun off from the mid-size Dakota pickup.
For 2004, the Durango has grown, to 200.8 inches in overall length, and gained its own specific platform, a hydroformed design that borrows from the large Ram pickup. Gone is the Coke-bottle curve, replaced by smooth sides and roofline, and added is seven inches of length, two inches of width and three inches of height. If you folded the third seat down, the Durango has 67.3 cubic feet of cargo room, more than the Tahoe, Expedition or Toyota Sequoia. Fold the second row, too, and you get 101 cubic feet.
The Durango has a solid rear axle to go with the stiff frame, and suspension tuning makes it compliant over bumps and rough pavement, although it always reminds you that youÂ’re in a truck, not a crossover. It is tall, and so very large, but it goes and feels much more agile than it must look to those compact drivers hoping to share the road. In light of last weekÂ’s declaration that truck makers would make their large vehicles safer in confrontations with smaller cars, the Durango has its bumper designed at the proper height to engage the safety structure of cars in an impact.
All-wheel disc brakes, with huge (13.1 inch front and 13.8 inch rear) discs further add to the feeling of safe and secure performance, and a new traction control system enhances the optional four-wheel drive system. In the Upper Midwest, of course, anyone buying a truck should be looking at four-wheel drive, especially with the abundant power available.
Dodge has dipped into its history to recreate the “Hemi†V8, a 345-horsepower and 375-foot-pound torque out of 5.7 liters of displacement, which equates to an 8,900-pound towing capacity. With a curb weight of 4,671 pounds, that power can be put to good use, but again, the refinement of the chassis, suspension and steering make the Durango feel much more agile. Also available are the smaller, but efficient, 4.7-liter V8 and the 3.7-liter V6, the latter of which is standard on the two-wheel-drive Durango.
That range of engines, and accompanying trim levels, lets the Durango run from $26,000 to over $40,000, and it will be difficult to pass up some of the interior options. The interior itself is well appointed, with a neat and efficient placement of controls in an appealing arrangement. A simple dial allows you to switch from two-wheel drive to four-wheel high or low settings, making the Durango well suited for serious off-road duty.
ARMADA/Nissan attacked the full-size pickup segment with the impressive Titan for 2004, and it actually built the Armada alongside it in its Canton, Miss., plant, and got it out ahead of the heralded pickup this fall. The Armada also is enormous, but feels much more agile than most large or full-size SUVs.
Like the Durango, the ArmadaÂ’s second and third row seats fold down, making a 6-foot-1 length of flat, carpeted area that could allow it to serve as a perfect mini-camper setting on a long trip, or when going deep into the wild.
Nissan has long been a leader in SUVs, with the venerable Pathfinder joined by the smaller Xterra, then a raft of specialty SUV crossovers, such as the Murano, and the Infiniti FX35/FX45. So the Armada fills out the roster, giving Nissan a full-size truck-based player.
For power, it has a U.S.-built 5.6-liter V8 with dual-overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, turning out 305 horsepower and feeling positively sporty with its quick-revving performance. There are no other options, but that engine is so fine, and refined, itÂ’s the one to get. All the Chrysler and General Motors full-size SUVs have pushrod engines, so the sophisticated new Nissan engine will start out at the high level of Toyota.
Styling is an edgy project on the Armada, with curves and contours that are not conventional, but help it make a striking image. The front end is imposing, although not as imposing as the DurangoÂ’s Ram-oriented front. At a price range of $32,000-over-$40,000, the Armada, with a well-arranged and contemporary interior, can meet all demands.
Interestingly, I got a shiny black Durango to test drive in late November, when there was no snow on the ground, and I got the Armada after a blizzard. To my surprise, the Armada had a lot of neat equipment, but it did NOT have all-wheel drive. My test week proved once again, and conclusively, how foolish it would be to buy such a vehicle with rear-drive only. I spent some of the time moving forward, some of the time trying to correct against going sideways, and most of the time leaving the Armada parked to collect snow. I had previously driven a four-wheel-drive version, and that switchable powertrain was far superior, regardless of cost.
When it comes to SUVs, I always have felt that anything bigger than what you need is too big, but for those families who need the size and room of a full-size SUV, the Durango and Armada deserve a close look.
(John Gilbert writes a weekly auto column. He can be reached by email at cars@jwgilbert.com.)
About the Author
John Gilbert is a lifetime Minnesotan and career journalist, specializing in cars and sports during and since spending 30 years at the Minneapolis Tribune, now the Star Tribune. More recently, he has continued translating the high-tech world of autos and sharing his passionate insights as a freelance writer/photographer/broadcaster. A member of the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year jury since 1993. John can be heard Monday-Friday from 9-11am on 610 KDAL(www.kdal610.com) on the "John Gilbert Show," and writes a column in the Duluth Reader.
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